No wedding with Mickey would be complete without the perfect Disney wedding invitations to announce your special day. Fortunately, you have plenty of Disney invitation designs to choose from, whether you are planning a Cinderella ball or a tropical affair aboard a Disney cruise ship. Begin your invitation-planning with Disney "save the date" cards that give your guests a heads-up and allow them to plan for your ceremony months in advance. Next, choose the coordinating invitations and embellishments for cards that stand out in a crowd. No matter what style of Disney wedding you are planning, there is a perfect Disney wedding invitation to make the preparations for your magnificent day complete.

Save the Date!"Save the date" cards are a fairly new concept that allows you to alert wedding guests of your special day long before the invitations go out in the mail. These announcements are especially handy if you are planning a destination wedding, for which many folks will need to book airline and hotel reservations well in advance (Orlando, anyone?). Usually "save the date" cards are mailed 4-6 months prior to your wedding date, but for destinations that might be more crowded or expensive (California, perhaps?), it is acceptable to mail these up to 12 months early. "Save the date" cards will generally include your names and the date and location of the wedding. If you book your wedding through Disney, the wedding coordinator may mail out "save the date" cards for you, along with customized guest-registration forms and advance theme-park ticket orders.

But if you would like to make your own “save the date” cards, there are some Disney wedding ideas for "save the dates" at Zazzle.com, where you can choose from Cinderella, Mickey and Minnie, and Lady and the Tramp to alert folks to your upcoming nuptials.

Reinventing a ClassicSome people get hooked on a classic, particularly in the case of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. After all, they are one of the most famous couples in the history of man (or is it mouse?). If your special day was inspired by this notorious couple, you can design your invitations in the same tradition. Choose from the simple elegance of a single white silhouette of Mickey's ears, perhaps with flowers and hearts for a romantic mood, or the classic hues of black and red in the animated character theme. Base your selection on the style of your wedding, whether it is formal, flowery or fun. To add a nice finishing touch to your Mickey and Minnie invitations, order some coordinating seals for the envelopes. You can find these on the same websites that sell the invitations, such as celebrations-galore.com or paperelegance.com.

For the Fairytale WeddingWhen you think of your favorite Disney fairytales, doesn't Cinderella immediately come to mind? What a delicious dose of whimsy and romance you can create with a Cinderella theme, from the fairy godmother sending Cinderella to the ball in a beautiful gown and pumpkin coach, to the prince traveling the kingdom to find the lady who fits his glass slipper.

If your wedding plans are modeled after this delightful love story, you have plenty of Disney wedding invitation ideas to consider. Choose from pastel illustrations of the princely couple or embossed invitations with their castle emblem at the top. Choose a picture of Cinderella dancing with her prince or arriving at the ball in her pumpkin coach. You can even find invitations sporting a blue background dotted with stars or a pale pink card with subtle embossed detail to add some color to your invites. Everafter-bridal.com has a selection of Disney wedding invitations in the Cinderella theme, complete with matching seals.

Celebrating a Famous CoupleDisney history is loaded with romantic couples, so you are not limited to Mickey and Minnie and Cinderella and her prince. Choose from Snow White and her prince, Beauty and the Beast, or Ariel and Eric from The Little Mermaid. Paperelegance.com features all three of these themes in their line of Disney wedding invitations, and invitationconsultants.com and fairytalewedding.cceasy.com also offer selections from these Disney movies. If you can't find the Disney characters you are looking for in a preprinted invitation, some companies may offer a special ordering option, or you can create your own invites with the assistance of your computer and some card-making software. (Read below for homemade invitations.)

Go TropicalIf you are planning a Disney cruise-ship wedding, or hosting your ceremony on Disney's private island, Castaway Cay, you can choose between the classic Disney wedding invitations or go for a tropical theme befitting your trip. There are some lovely beach-themed invitations at yourweddingstore.cceasy.com. Select a traditional style with embossed palm trees or shells, or go for the unexpected with an invitation that can actually be folded into a free-standing Adirondack chair. These tropical cards will definitely set the mood for the warm ocean breezes, sandy floors and salty sea air that lies ahead.

DIY Disney Invitation IdeasFor the particular bride and groom who simply cannot find the perfect representation of their special day in the stock available, you can create your own Disney wedding invitations. By downloading the clip art of your choice, you can print your cards at home or take your design to a printer to have them professionally completed. At americangreetings.com there is a "create and print" section that allows you to craft your own invites with a variety of Disney scenes to choose from. You can also design your own cards using downloadable software at makeyourowninvitations.com. Embellish your cards however you like, using Disney stamps and embossing powder, vellum paper and ribbon. Scrapbooking stores also have entire sections devoted to Disney-themed paper and embellishments that run the gamut from whimsical to elegant.

A Little EtiquetteOnce you have chosen invitations for your dream Disney wedding, there are a few etiquette guidelines to keep in mind. First, traditional wedding invitations are usually printed in black ink, and black is also used for hand-addressing the envelopes. Initials and nicknames are not generally used on the invitation itself, although abbreviations such as Mr. or Dr. are acceptable when you are addressing the envelope. Assemble your invitation by layering as follows: invitation, tissue paper, enclosures, unsealed envelope and sealed envelope. Order invitations at least three months prior to the wedding day, and mail six to eight weeks ahead. To add a whimsical touch, Disney postage stamps are available from zazzle.com.

Your wedding deserves the very best, from the ceremony and reception, right down to your wedding invitations. If you are planning a Disney wedding, let your invitations set the mood for your day. Go for classic Mickey and Minnie cards, a fairytale Cinderella story or a tropical theme in line with your Disney cruise ceremony. With such a selection of Disney wedding invitations to choose from, you are sure to find the perfect cards for your day.

What Is Your Wedding Style?While you have been dreaming of the perfect wedding since you were about ten years old, you will find that there's still a great deal of planning ahead. Choosing the wedding dress and wedding hair style and dealing with all of the finicky details will consume your life from now until your wedding day. Determining your personal wedding style can help you during this process. Take this quiz to find out your wedding style!